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Kinosternidae
The Kinosternidae are a family of mostly small turtles that includes the mud turtles and musk turtles. The family contains 25 species within four genera, but taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing process, so many sources vary on the exact numbers of species and subspecies. They inhabit slow-moving bodies of water, often with soft, muddy bottoms and abundant vegetation. Description Most kinosternids are small turtles, in carapace length. The highly domed carapace has a distinct keel down its center. The genus '' Staurotypus'' gets much larger, to . Females are generally larger than males, but males have much longer tails. Kinosternids can be black, brown, green, or yellowish in color. Most species do not have shell markings, but some species have radiating black markings on each carapace scute. Some species have distinctive yellow striping along the sides of the head and neck. The musk turtles are so named because they are capable of releasing a foul-smelling musk from gland ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sternotherus
''Sternotherus'' is a genus of turtles in the family Kinosternidae including six species commonly known as musk turtles. The genus is endemic to North America, occurring in the eastern third of the USA and southeast Ontario, Canada. Musk glands positioned near the bridge of the shell can produce foul smelling secretions when the turtles are threatened, although genital handling does not normally provoke a response. ''Sternotherus'' are moderately small turtles, with the largest species in the genus, the razor-backed musk turtle ('' S. carinatus''), attaining a maximum of 17.6 cm. in shell length. The carapace is characteristically oval and domed (an exception being the flattened musk turtle, '' S. depressus''), with most species having one or three keels on the back which may become smoother and obscure with age in some species. Musk turtles are generally drab in color, mostly black, gray, brown, olive, or ocher, which aid in camouflaging them in their natural habitats. The head ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sternotherus Odoratus
''Sternotherus odoratus'' is a species of small turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. It is also known commonly as the common musk turtle, eastern musk turtle, or stinkpot turtle due to its ability to release a foul musky odor from scent glands on the edge of its shell, possibly to deter predation.Ernst, Carl, H. and Jeffrey E. Lovich. 2009. ''Turtles of the United States and Canada, 2nd. Ed.'' The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, MD. xii, 827 pp. ages 525-535 This turtle is grouped in the same family as mud turtles. Etymology The generic name ''Sternotherus'' is derived from the Greek word ''sternon'', meaning chest or breast, and ''theros'', meaning animal, in reference to the hinge on the turtles plastron.Zug, George. 1986. Sternotherus.' Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 397:1-3. The trivial name, or specific epithet ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Staurotypus
''Staurotypus'' is a genus of aquatic turtles, commonly known as giant musk turtles, Mexican musk turtles, or three-keeled musk turtles, in the family Kinosternidae. The genus contains two recognized species, which are endemic to Mexico and Central America. Both species are sold and bred as pets. Species The following two species are recognized as being valid. *''Staurotypus salvinii'' – Chiapas giant musk turtle, giant musk turtle, Pacific coast giant musk turtle *''Staurotypus triporcatus'' – Mexican musk turtle, Giant Mexican musk turtle Geographic distribution Both species of the genus ''Staurotypus'' are native to Mexico and Central America. ''S. salvinii'' is found primarily in Mexico, in the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, but ranges south into Guatemala, El Salvador, and Belize. ''S. triporcatus'' is also found primarily in Mexico, and is more widespread, found in the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán, and Campeche, and ranges south into Belize, Guatemal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narrow-bridged Musk Turtle
The narrow-bridged musk turtle (''Claudius angustatus'') is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is found in Central America and Mexico. Geographic range ''C. angustatus'' is found in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Taxonomy As of 2010, ''C. angustatus'' is the only recognized extant species in the genus ''Claudius''. Description The narrow-bridged musk turtle is typically brown in color. The scutes of the carapace have lines and graining, imparting an almost wood-like appearance. It often has bright-yellow markings on the edges of the carapace. As it ages, algae often heavily cover the shell, masking the patterning and coloration. The head is large and bulbous for its size, with a sharp beak and a long neck. The jaw joint anatomy of the narrow-bridged musk turtle is unique among modern Cryptodira. In most cryptodires the jaw joint is formed by a biconcave facet. In the narrow-bridged musk turtle, the jaw joint of is formed by a broad hemispherical co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mud Turtle
''Kinosternon'' is a genus of small aquatic turtles from the Americas known commonly as mud turtles. Geographic range They are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, and only three species ('' K. dunni'', '' K. leucostomum'', and '' K. scorpioides'') are found in South America. Description They are very similar to the musk turtles, but generally smaller in size, and their carapaces are not as highly domed. Diet All mud turtles are carnivorous, consuming various aquatic invertebrates, fish, and even carrion. Species Extant * Central Chiapas mud turtle - ''K. abaxillare'' (Baur, 1925) *Tabasco mud turtle - ''K. acutum'' Gray, 1831 *Alamos mud turtle - ''K. alamosae'' Berry & Legler, 1980 *Central American mud turtle - ''K. angustipons'' Legler, 1965 * Striped mud turtle - ''K. baurii'' (Garman, 1891) * Jalisco mud turtle - ''K. chimalhuaca'' Berry, Seidel, & Iverson, 1996 *Cora mud turtle - ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yellow Mud Turtle
The yellow mud turtle (''Kinosternon flavescens''), also commonly known as the yellow-necked mud turtle, is a species of mud turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is endemic to the Central United States and Mexico. Distribution *Northeastern Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. *Midwestern and Southwestern United States: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Its current presence is uncertain in Veracruz (Mexico) and Arkansas (United States). Description The yellow mud turtle is a small, olive-colored turtle. Both the common name, yellow mud turtle, and the specific name, ''flavescens'' (Latin: yellow), refer to the yellow-colored areas on the throat, head, and sides of the neck. The bottom shell ( plastron) is yellow to brown with two hinges, allowing the turtle to close each end separately. The male's tail has a blunt spine on the end, but the female's tail does not. Lifespan The y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kinosternon
''Kinosternon'' is a genus of small aquatic turtles from the Americas known commonly as mud turtles. Geographic range They are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, and only three species ('' K. dunni'', '' K. leucostomum'', and '' K. scorpioides'') are found in South America. Description They are very similar to the musk turtles, but generally smaller in size, and their carapaces are not as highly domed. Diet All mud turtles are carnivorous, consuming various aquatic invertebrates, fish, and even carrion. Species Extant * Central Chiapas mud turtle - ''K. abaxillare'' (Baur, 1925) * Tabasco mud turtle - ''K. acutum'' Gray, 1831 * Alamos mud turtle - ''K. alamosae'' Berry & Legler, 1980 * Central American mud turtle - ''K. angustipons'' Legler, 1965 * Striped mud turtle - ''K. baurii'' (Garman, 1891) * Jalisco mud turtle - ''K. chimalhuaca'' Berry, Seidel, & Iverson, 1996 * Cora mud turt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked turtles), which differ in the way the head retracts. There are 360 living and recently extinct species of turtles, including land-dwelling tortoises and freshwater terrapins. They are found on most continents, some islands and, in the case of sea turtles, much of the ocean. Like other amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. Turtle shells are made mostly of bone; the upper part is the domed carapace, while the underside is the flatter plastron or belly-plate. Its outer surface is covered in scales made of keratin, the material of hair, horns, and claws. The carapace bones develop from ribs that grow sideways and develop into broad flat plates th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Family (biology)
Family ( la, familia, plural ') is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus. The official family names are Latin in origin; however, popular names are often used: for example, walnut trees and hickory trees belong to the family Juglandaceae, but that family is commonly referred to as the "walnut family". What belongs to a family—or if a described family should be recognized at all—are proposed and determined by practicing taxonomists. There are no hard rules for describing or recognizing a family, but in plants, they can be characterized on the basis of both vegetative and reproductive features of plant species. Taxonomists often take different positions about descriptions, and there may be no broad consensus across the scientific community for some time. The publishing of new data and opini ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the animal hatches. Most arthropods such as insects, vertebrates (excluding live-bearing mammals), and mollusks lay eggs, although some, such as scorpions, do not. Reptile eggs, bird eggs, and monotreme eggs are laid out of water and are surrounded by a protective shell, either flexible or inflexible. Eggs laid on land or in nests are usually kept within a warm and favorable temperature range while the embryo grows. When the embryo is adequately developed it hatches, i.e., breaks out of the egg's shell. Some embryos have a temporary egg tooth they use to crack, pip, or break the eggshell or covering. The largest recorded egg is from a whale shark and was in size. Whale shark eggs typically hatch within the mother. At and up to , the o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carrion
Carrion () is the decaying flesh of dead animals, including human flesh. Overview Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, condors, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia opossum, Tasmanian devils, coyotes and Komodo dragons. Many invertebrates, such as the carrion and burying beetles, as well as maggots of calliphorid flies (such as one of the most important species in '' Calliphora vomitoria'') and flesh-flies, also eat carrion, playing an important role in recycling nitrogen and carbon in animal remains. Carrion begins to decay at the moment of the animal's death, and it will increasingly attract insects and breed bacteria. Not long after the animal has died, its body will begin to exude a foul odor caused by the presence of bacteria and the emission of cadaverine and putrescine. Some plants and fungi smell like decomposing carrion and attract insects that a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of living fish species are ray-finned fish, belonging to the class Actinopterygii, with around 99% of those being teleosts. The earliest organisms that can be classified as fish were soft-bodied chordates that first appeared during the Cambrian period. Although they lacked a true spine, they possessed notochords which allowed them to be more agile than their invertebrate counterparts. Fish would continue to evolve through the Paleozoic era, diversifying into a wide variety of forms. Many fish of the Paleozoic developed external armor that protected them from predators. The first fish with jaws appeared in the Silurian period, after which many (such as sharks) became formidable marine predators rather than just the prey of arthropods. Mos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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